Draft hitch for tractors



Nov. 12, 1929. P. P. BAKER.

DRAFT HITCH FOR TRACTORS Filed Dec. 3, 1927 '2 Sheets-Sheet l Whoa *PhilnPBak h fi yfl Nov. 12, 1929. P. P. BAKER DRAFT HITCH FOR TRACTORS 2Sheets-Sheet .2

Filed Dec. 3, 1927 '5 pose, generally speaking,being to provid'eashort"turns,-and which Patented Nov. 12, 1929 PHILIP P. BAKER, or 'GHULAVISTA, c LIFonNiA DRAFT HITCH non rimo'rons Application filed reticulum3,1927; Serial no. 237,493.

'My invention'relates to draft hitches and has. particular reference toa hitch of im proved type for connectingagricultural machines andimplements with tractors,-my purpulled by the tractor for most efficientoperaof simple construction,

- 1 In the drawings,

of reference denote corresponding parts m 22. p

' 'A yoke 28 of-V-shape as viewed in top plan,

tion. 1

It is al s'omy purpose to provide a'hitch having the aforementionedadvantages which is relatively cheap and easyto produce, strong anddurable, capable of attachment to various types of tractors and whichuse. i I

With theforegoing and other purposesin view, my invention consists-inthe novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of partsas will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings and defined in'the appended claims. a g 5 i v Vwherein like characters thediiferent views: I v 7 Fig. 1 is a sideelevation of a tractor showing myimproved hitch operativelyat tachedthereto;

Fig. 2, a top plan view of what is shown in Fig. ,1;

i Fig. 8, an enlargedtop plan view of my im ner in which the two partsof proved hitch;

Fig. 4:, a central longitudinal section through my improvedhitch; I

J Fig. 5, a rear elevation of my improved hitch;

Fig. 6,

a perspective view showing the manthe draft bar of my improved hitch areconnected together for relative pivotal movement; and Fig, 7aperspective view of oneof the at taching brackets of my improved hitch.

In Figuresl and 2 of the drawingsl have illustrated my improved drafthitch attached to a tractor of representative commercial is thoroughlyreliable and efficient in cured in any suitable manner body 10consisting of a casing or housing within which is disposed the gearing,*not shown, establishing a driving connection be} tigee'n the motor 16and'the traction whe'el s My improved draft hitch, best shown in Figures3 to 5, includes essentiallyia pair of brackets 18,

posite sides of the'housing 10 with 'their're'ar end portions extendingsufficiently far 'beyond the rearend of said housing to permit aconnection to be made between them. Said brackets are of duplicaterightand left hand construction and each of them includes spaced, upperand lowerbearing portions in which are journaled vertical shafts 20,20,.respectively, on which are mounted sprocket wheels 22, 22,respectively, therearound an endless chain24, oneof said shaftsextending upward from its related bracket; a suitable. distance sameincluding, asusual, ai 'frame or'" body 10 supported by rear tractionwheels' l2 and front steering wheels 14, the frame. or

18 adapted to be bolted or otherwise rlgidly secured,respectively,"against op" having trained and being.

equipped-at its upper'end with a hand wheel 26 whereby it may chain Qito travel aroundthe sprocket wheels formed from 'a, length of vrod orother suit able material, has its free end portions seto lugsorbosses30, 30 formed on the brackets 18, -18,respectively', and extends anysuitable distance forwardly of ,saidbrackets,-itsforward end or bightportion therewith inany siutable manner, as at 32, the

be rotated to cause the having pivotally connected forward end of adraftbar 84 which is swing able laterally at its rear end between thebrackets18,18. 1 The draft bar saris composedof two: sections 34*, 34nthe of the yoke'28 to the chain 24i-an'd the rear section being of anysuitablelength and extending rearwardly from said chain. The forforwardsectionfiit being of a length to extend from the forward end I ward endof the main section is pivoted in any suitable manner as at 36 to therear. end of the lateral swmglng moveforward section for.

ment with respect; to said forward section, and the rear end of theforward section is cone nected in any suitable manner with one of thereaches of the chain 24, so that the rear end of the forward section ismovable lateral- "ly between the brackets 18, 18 by rotation of the handwheel 26. Specifically, the manner in which the draft bar sections arepivotally connected together and fastened to the chain 24 is as follows:To the rear end of the forward section 34 is secured plate 3*8-the rearend portion of which is disposed in spaced relation to the upper face ofsaid section. Be"- tween theplate 38 and thesection: eels arranged theforward end portion of the rear Section 34", the pivot bolt 36 beingpassedthrough alined openings in the plate 88 and section 34*. andthrough an opening in the section 34' located a short distance from itsforward end. In the forward end of the rear section 34? is formed anarcuate slot struck J from" the pivot 36 as a center,- and through saidslot and the parts 34?, 38 is passed a bolt 26 tion 34 is pivotallyconnected by the bolt 86 ing movement and that such swingingmoverotating the hand wheel 26 I 24 to traverse the sprocket wheels22,22, the

42, it thus being apparentthat the rear secto the forward section 34?for lateral swingment is limited by the length of the slot 40. Aclip44-overlying a link of the rear reach of :80 the chainf24 is fastenedto'the draft bar by the bolts 36, 42. Thus it is apparent-that by to causethe chain rear end of the forward draft bar section 34 ,85 may be movedto any desired laterally ad- .justed position between the brackets l8,l8

and that in any laterallyadjusted position of the forward section therear section 34" may pivot with respect thereto, so as to extend in thedirection of the longitudinal axis of the a tractor. In the rear end ofthe section 34;? is formed an opening 46 to receive a shackle or 7 othermeans whereby any desired implement may be attached to the draft bar.

On the shaft 20 which carries the hand wheel 26 is fixed a toothed wheel48 with which cooperates a pivoted dog 50 mounted in any suitable mannerfor convenient foot actuation by the operator of the tractor. A springnormally maintains said dog in engagement with-said wheel to flock thedraft bar in any adjusted position-in which it may 1 be. placed, releaseof said dog to permitadjust-ment of the draft bar beingefiected simplyby. depressing one end of saiddogto disengage its otherend from saidwheel. 4

The forward end of the yoke 28 is support ed byaplate 52 secured to apart of the tractor whereby said yoke isv prevented from sagging orbeing bent downward at its forward end under the influence of loadsimposed thereon through the draft bar 34. r I V In view of the foregoingit is'man-ifest that due'tothe yoke 28'and draft bar 3 L being"extendedwell forwardly of the rear Wheels of the tractor, any pullexerted by the tractor through said draft bar and yoke willt-end to holdits forward end'to the ground and thus prevent the tractor from turningover backwards, while at the same time the provision for lateralmovement of thedraft bar not only permits the tractor with an attachedimplement to make relatively short turns,but

also provides for so locating the line of draft with respect toeflicient operation, it being manifest in this connection that bolt 42provides means for 3 securing the rear draft bar section 34 in anypermissible position of angular adjustment with respect to theforwarddraft bar, section34 p, r 1 'Whilein the foregoing description and inthe attached drawings I havedisclosed one preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is to. be understood. that various chan'ges and desirableadditions may be made in and to the structure shownwithin the spirit andscope of my invention as defined the appended claims. V

j I. claim 1. In a draft for tractors, a draft bar Q on and a rear thetractor as to adapt an implement being pulled by the tractor for mostmeans for pivotally connecting said section at its forward endwithva i2. In a draft hitch for tractors, a draftlbar composed of a forwardsection and a rear section, means for pivotally connecting said forwardsection at v tractor whereby 1 said forward section is swingableaboutsaid pivot in a. horizontal plane to dispose its rearend in differentpositionsof adjustment transversely of the tractoiymeans for locking.said forward'secits forward end with a tion in different positions ofpivotal adjust- I ment thereof, a pivotal connection between a forwardrear portion of saidforward section, one of said sections having anarcuate slot formed therein, anda securing boltpassing through said slotand through the other section.

portionof said rear section and a 3. In a draft hitch for tractors, adraft bar composed of a forwardsection-and a rear section, means forpivotally connectin said for ward section at its forward end wit atractor whereby. said forward section is swingable about said pivot in ahorizontal plane todis pose itsrear end in different positions ofadjustment transversely of the tractor, a loolt pivotally connecting aforward portion of said rear section with a rear portion of said forwardsection, one of said sections having therein, a second bolt 7slotandthrough the an arcuate slot formed extending through said othersection, an endless chain for adjustlng the rear end portion of saidforward section In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

PHILIP. BAKER.

said forward section, sald 011p being retained in chain securmg rela V

